Banana Layer Cake with Caramel Frosting is easy to make, fluffy, soft and delicious! Three layers of moist banana cake sandwiched together with luscious caramel mascarpone frosting.
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Posted January 2015 – Updated January 2021
BEST EVER BANANA CAKE
I know that countless batches of banana bread have been baked in 2020 – possibly more than ever before! You can find no fewer than four banana bread recipes on this blog alone… I guess I really leaned into it.
But let’s put a pin in banana bread for a minute and talk… BANANA CAKE! Is there a difference between banana bread and banana cake you ask? Banana bread has a firm and slightly dense texture and is not overly sweet. Perfect with a cup of coffee but not dessert.
A banana cake is basically a soft fluffy whisked sponge cake that also contains mashed bananas. The bananas add tons of wonderful banana flavor and make the cake moist and delicious.
I sandwiched my banana cake layers with mascarpone cream cheese frosting flavored with caramel and my banana-loving husband declared “this cake tastes like banana cream pie!”.
USEFUL TOOLS
- I always rely on a digital scale to measure my ingredients.
- A mini chopper is useful for liquidising the bananas but you can also mash them with a fork.
- You can use a hand mixer, a stand mixer or a food processor to make this banana cake recipe just make sure all ingredients are room temperature.
- You will need three 8 inch cake pans for this recipe or you can use four 6 inch cake pans for a truly towering banana cake.
- You can bake it as a banana sheet cake (traybake) using a 9×13 inch rectangular cake tin and then slice into squares.
- I prefer to use a cake release spray for most of my baking – easier than greasing and dusting cake tins with flour.
HOW TO MAKE BANANA CAKE
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Mist three 20cm (8 in) cake pans with cake release or grease with softened butter and dust with flour shaking out any excess. Line the bottom of the tins with parchment paper.
STEP 2 Put the flour and sugar in a large bowl. Add the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix together using a balloon whisk.
STEP 3 Add the softened butter, eggs, milk, mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
STEP 4 Beat on the lowest speed setting until the ingredients start to combine then increase the speed until you have a smooth batter. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
STEP 5 Divide the batter between the prepared cake tins and level. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the cake is well risen, springy to the tough and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the tins for 5-10 minutes then carefully turn out onto a cooling rack.
STEP 6 Put all the frosting ingredients apart from the caramel in a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Start beating together on a low speed setting then increase to medium, gradually adding the caramel. Continue to beat until the frosting holds peaks. Don’t overmix.
STEP 7 Pipe or spread frosting on the cake layers and sandwich together. Cover the cake with a thin layer of frosting and smooth.
STEP 8 Drizzle caramel around the edge of the cake letting it drip down the sides. Pipe or spread any remaining frosting on top of the cake and drizzle with more caramel. Decorate with caramel fudge pieces or banana chips.
BANANA LAYER CAKE TIPS
- Use room temperature ingredients to make the cake using the all in one method.
- Make sure the baking powder and soda are fresh.
- Take the mascarpone cheese out of the fridge for 5-10 minutes to warm up a little before making the frosting. Make sure the double cream (heavy cream) is COLD however.
- The cake layers can be prepared up to a day in advance. Wrap them well, once they have cooled down, and keep them at room temperature until ready to frost the cake.
- If your frosting is a little slack – or if you frost the cake while still warm! – use straws to keep the layers together. Professional cake makers use plastic dowels when assembling tiered cakes – this is the same trick but on a much smaller scale.
- The cake will keep for 2-3 days in a tall covered cake container. Store the cake in the fridge if it is really warm.
- I used stored bought caramel sauce in this recipe (like Trader Joe’s Fleur De Sel Caramel Sauce or Carnation Dulce De Leche) but you can also make your own – take a look at my Salted Caramel Cake recipe.
My favourite banana recipes
Keto Banana Bread – Low Carb, Gluten Free
Super-Easy Banana Loaf
Banoffee Cake
HAVE YOU MADE MY BANANA CAKE RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Banana Layer Cake with Caramel Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 350 g (2 ¾ cups) flour plain/ all purpose flour
- 330 g (1 ⅔ cups) sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tbsp bicarbonate of soda
- 200 g (7/8 cup) unsalted butter or margarine softened
- 3 large eggs
- 2 ripe bananas mashed well or liquidised
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tbsp vanilla paste or extract
- A few drops banana extract (optional)
Caramel Mascarpone Frosting
- 200 g (1 cup) oz icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 450 g (1 pound) full fat mascarpone cheese
- 120 ml (½ cup) COLD double cream (heavy cream) more if needed
- 3-4 tbsp caramel sauce plus extra to drizzle
- ½ tbsp vanilla paste or extract
Decorations
- Extra caramel sauce to drizzle
- Caramel fudge pieces
- Banana chips
- Fresh sliced banana
Instructions
MAKE THE CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Mist three 20cm (8 in) cake tins with cake release or grease with softened butter and dust with flour shaking out any excess. Line the bottom of the tins with baking paper.
- Put the flour and sugar in a large bowl. Add the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix together using a balloon whisk. Add the softened butter, eggs, milk, mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
- Beat on the lowest speed setting until the ingredients start to combine then increase the speed until you have a smooth batter. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake tins and level. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the cake is well risen, springy to the tough and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the tins for 5-10 minutes then carefully turn out onto a cooling rack.
CARAMEL FROSTING
- Put all the frosting ingredients apart from the caramel in a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Start beating together on a low speed setting then increase to medium, gradually adding the caramel. Continue to beat until the frosting holds peaks, adding more cream gradually if the frosting is dense. Don’t overmix.
ASSEMBLE AND FROST THE CAKE
- Pipe or spread frosting on the cake layers and sandwich together. Cover the cake with a thin layer of frosting and smooth.
- Drizzle caramel around the edge of the cake letting it drip down the sides. Pipe or spread any remaining frosting on top of the cake and drizzle with more caramel. Decorate with caramel fudge pieces or banana chips.
Video
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to make the cake using the all in one method.
- Make sure the baking powder and soda are fresh.
- Take the mascarpone cheese out of the fridge for 5-10 minutes to warm up a little before making the frosting. Make sure the double cream (heavy cream) is COLD however.
- The cake layers can be prepared up to a day in advance. Wrap them well, once they have cooled down, and keep them at room temperature until ready to frost the cake.
- If your frosting is a little slack – or if you frost the cake while still warm! – use straws to keep the layers together. Professional cake makers use plastic dowels when assembling tiered cakes – this is the same trick but on a much smaller scale.
- The cake will keep for 2-3 days in a covered container. Store the cake in the fridge if it is really warm.
- I used stored bought caramel sauce in this recipe (like Trader Joe’s Fleur De Sel Caramel Sauce or Carnation Dulce De Leche) but you can also make your own – take a look at my Salted Caramel Cake recipe.
Joana Maia says
Hi there! I want to try this banana cake, bu ti was wondering if you could be a be more specific regarding the banana amount. Medium , large, 1 cup mashed… It’d really help! Thank you so much!
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Joanna two medium should be fine you want approx. 200g (7oz) of mashed banana
Kerli says
I was wondering, could I make it without sugar? As it goes to my son’s first birthday, I was hoping to make it sugarfree for him to also eat. As the bananas could give enough sweetness, what do you think, will the texture of the cake remain the same without added sugar? Looking forward to your thoughts. Thanks a lot! 🙂
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Kerli – sugar is an essential ingredient in this cake (and most cakes). If you want to make a sugar free cake then you will have better luck with a banana bread recipe. I do have a no added sugar carrot cake you could try? https://www.supergoldenbakes.com/sugar-free-spelt-carrot-cake/
Alia says
I’ve made this three times now.
First time as an unfrosted 9x13inch traybake.
After that as a frosted 2 layer 8 inch cake – with the caramel frosting. I used Bonne Maman salted caramel.
Same volume of batter for both.
It is absolutely perfect. Can not be improvee. Rave reviews.
Just make it. You won’t regret it.